Leaving 2 weeks from today and... Pink eye (x3!) :(

[bitty246]

Yup, all three of my kids have pink eye. Our daycare provider informed me as I dropped them off Friday before last, that everyone there had it the week before, but they were "all better". About mid week I noticed my DS18months had gooey green stuff in his eyes and was more cranky than usual. Another day later mt DD5 started showing the same symptoms along with a yucky sounding cough. At first I was thinking allergies, since we have had a bit of warm weather but by the time Friday rolled around and my oldest DS8 got it, I was pretty sure what we're dealing with. I called our Pedi office and they said it is so contagious they didn't even want us to come in, they would just call in a prescription for antibiotic eye drops.

So here we are, 2 weeks from our trip and so far the eye drops haven't cleared it up. I read it can be contagious for 7-14 days after symptoms appear. I'm just hoping we can kick it for good and not pass it around again. Does anyone have any experience with this? We've never had it before so I don't know what to expect.

P.S. DH has a sinus infection too!

 

[usnuzuloose]

Years ago I had it in both eyes. You have to give the medicine time to work. It should start clearing up in about 5 days that is noticeable. It takes time. If you see it hash't started clearing up by then call the doctor back. I hope it clears up soon. Big hug to hug to you.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

It depends on whether it is bacterial or viral. The antibiotic eye drops usually do a good job of clearing the bacterial kind up in a couple days. The viral version is a lot more difficult. With the viral kind, you can only treat the symptoms and wait for the virus to pass. That can take a couple weeks.

Sorry you are dealing with this. Make sure you wash the sheets and pillow cases in hot water and dry on high often. I had times when I'd get the bacterial kind cleared up but end up reinfecting myself because I didn't change my pillow case.

 

[chrismb22]

Ugg sorry!! But better now than next week? Not what you wanted to hear, I know. My son had it the week before Christmas and then gave it to me as an early Christmas present.

Just keep those hands clean so they don't keep passing it back and forth to each other.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

My DS had pink eye the Friday before we left. Or it might have been the Saturday and we were leaving Sunday. It was a crazy day but by the next day his eye was almost all cleared up. I just kept up with the drops.

Someone ALWAYS gets sick the week before we leave which puts me in a frenzy because I need to pack and with an upcoming vacation calling out of work for a sick day is almost impossible. I'm trying to get things together at work and at home.

 

[jms]

MY DD (2) had pink eye back in December. The Dr gave me drops that I had to use 3 times a day for 3 days. They were stronger than the normal drops and more expensive, but with a 2 year old it was work it since she absolutely hated the drops. If the current drops are not working and you are worried about your vacation I might call and request a stronger faster acting prescription. Good luck!

We leave in 10 days and the stomach virus just made its way through all of us.

 

[Ginny Favers]

With some sinus infections, it can create so much mucus that it backs up in a person's nasal cavity and comes out the eyes, giving the appearance of pink eye. This is especially true if it's in both eyes at the same time. Happens to my daughter all the time. And in that case, drops are worthless... you just need to let it run its course. It's a good thing you all have it now... because in a couple weeks you should all be better.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I hate to say this but keep an eye on you and husband for the same pink eye and be ready to call for you guys

 

[laughinplace199]

DS7 had this recently. It took my DS 3-5 days on eye drops (3X/day) for his eyes to really look better, and it took 7 days before they were totally normal.

Keep up with eyedrops.
Wash hands frequently.
Change pillowcase daily.
Watch for ear infection (often pink eye and ear infections show up together).

Good luck!

 

[tbia]

Washing the eyes out with baby shampoo will help with the goo.

 

[wallskm]

I bet it clears up in time. We leave in 11 days and my DS(2) also was diagnosed with pink eye today. Both my boys had strep over the weekend too. Hopefully they are just getting all the sickness out of the way so we can have a good sickness-free trip!

 

[minnie1012]

My DD has the same thing, pink eye with a terrible cough! The pink eye is much better. She got it in the one eye on Thursday and by Saturday she had it in the other. It looks a lot better today and actually yesterday it looked pretty good too. I change her pillow case every morning just to be on the safe side. The cough on the other hand we can't seem to kick that!

Good luck!

 

[bitty246]

Well we can add Strep to the list too! Poor thing. I'm starting to feel a bit run down myself.

Thanks for all the tips, we're definitely taking extreme measures so as to not recontaminate ourselves.

Ah well.. it's off to the Dr. for everyone else in the family. I'm asking to be swabbed for flu and strep up front just in case. We're going to nip this stuff in the bud! Ain't nobody got time for this! We're going to Walt Disney World!!!!

 

[MistressMerryweather]

Most pink eye infections are viral, so the drops don't do a thing. It just has to run it's course. We use Colloidal Silver and drop in eyes, three times a day. It usually clears it up in 24-48 hours.

Sorry about the strep throat. At least you're all getting your sickies out before the trip, rather than coming down with it all, the day you get there. It's all good.

 

[wallskm]

Bummer about the strep! My boys were sick for about a day and a half with it. Neither of them ever complained of a sore throat though! They are no longer contagious once they are on antibiotics for 24 hours. Be sure to change their toothbrushes! (Our ped said to change them after a couple days of antibiotics).

 

[rachael95]

My DS has gotten it several times from daycare.

For my DS, the doctor gave the really strong eye drops that are 3 times a day (though he said to be safe to continue to treat him until 3 days AFTER symptoms have cleared up. So ended up treating him 6 days). Great for a 2 year old. One thing, you can ask for these to be called in proactively for you and anyone else that might not have caught it yet. If you have a good relationship with your doctor and explained you're heading on vacation, I'm sure they'd call them in "just in case." My doctor actually gave us a prescription to keep on hand so that we could use it before bringing him in if he caught it again.

Make sure you are religious about handwashing for EVERYONE in the house. Clean off all the surfaces you'd normally touch often (door handles, light switches, toilet handle). Every person who is already infected needs to use their OWN hand towel to dry their hands. Do not share a hand towel.

If the pink eye is only in one eye, try to encourage that person to not touch the good eye and to sleep so that any goo drains away from the non-infected eye. That might keep it from spreading to both eyes.

Remember, even after you stop having symptoms, you still can have pink eye and are still contagious. (which is why it is so easy to spread around daycares. Parents will treat the child until it's not visible, send them back and then they spread to another child.) Our doctor said to continue treating until 3 days after no symptoms appear.

Good luck!

 

[Lilliputian]

As others have said, pink eye won't respond to the eye drops if it's viral, and it frequently is. A good quality coconut oil can be helpful with viral pink eye. I notice your "baby" is 18 months old. If you happen to be nursing, breastmilk is really good for pink eye.

Strep throat is more uncomfortable, but at least it responds well to antibiotics. They should be fine soon. Pink eye can be more of a pain because it can go on a long time.

 

[bitty246]

The Dr. did prescribe antibiotic drops and oral antibiotics to all the kids. Maintaining a positive outlook... We WILL be well, we WILL be well!

Thanks again for all the tips. It is very much appreciated

 

[bitty246]

As others have said, pink eye won't respond to the eye drops if it's viral, and it frequently is. A good quality coconut oil can be helpful with viral pink eye. I notice your "baby" is 18 months old. If you happen to be nursing, breastmilk is really good for pink eye.

Yes, he is still nursing. I'll keep that in mind for future reference!